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<M X>
<K X>
<D ENGLISH>
<V PROSE>
<T TRAVELOGUE>
<G X>
<F X>
<W WRITTEN>
<X FEMALE>
<Y 20-40>
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<Z NARR NON-IMAG>
<S SAMPLE X>


[^FIENNES, CELIA.
THE JOURNEYS OF CELIA FIENNES.
ED. C. MORRIS.
LONDON: THE CRESSET PRESS, 1947.
PP. 141.1 - 154.29^]

<P 141>
[} [\PART III\] }]

[}"MY GREAT JOURNEY TO NEWCASTLE AND
TO CORNWALL" (1698)}]

[}1. FROM LONDON THROUGH EAST ANGLIA
TO ELY}]

   My Great Journey to Newcastle and to Cornwall, the account
of many journeys into most parts of England what
observation and distance of one place to another in my
travels.
   From London to Albins [\Albyns\] in Essex 17 mile, Sir
Robert Abdys, whose house stands very pleasantly in a
park full of deer; the house on an advanced ground appeares
to view at the entrance, but its old building large roomes,
some rows of trees lead up to it; thence I return'd home 17 
mile more; from London to Bednal-green [\Bethnal Green\]
twice and back again 16 mile, from London to Highgate
4 miles to Mr. Thomas's house, where is a most exact
garden, with all sorts of greens and flowers and fishponds
its all but little; there my Nephew Fiennes Harrison with
Mr. Showers went to fish with me, thence we went to Hampstead
so made it 5 mile home againe; I went from London
<P 142>
twice and back againe from Kensingston, in all 8 mile - this
I put in only to know the number of miles that I went in one
yeare.
   From London to Amwell bery [\Amwell Bury\] which is in
Hartfordshire 19 mile, where I staid a day or two, thence to
Bishopstafford [\Bishops Stortford\] in Essex 13 mile, thence   #
to
Dunmew [\Dunmow\] 8 long miles thro' severall little villages,
its very deep way especially after raines; this is a little     #
Market
town, they are altogether taken up about the spinning and
prepareing for the Bayes [\baize\] : all along between that and
Colchester you pass but halfe a mile ere one comes to two
or 3 houses all along the road, its from Dunmow to Collchester 
22 miles, and mostly clay deep way.
   Colchester is a large town in the compass of ground,
formerly there was 16 Churches tho' now much of it is
ruinated; a mile before you come to the new town one enters
a little village which still is in the limits of the Citty and
Majors [\Mayor's\] jurisdiction, there is a pretty good house
of the Lord Lucas: you enter the town by a gate there are
4 in all, there is a large streete which runs a great length
down to the bridge near a mile long, about the middle of it
runs another broad streete and near its length, in which is
the Market Cross and Town Hall and a long building like
stalls on purpose to lay their Bayes [\baize\] when exposed to 
saile, great quantetyes are made here and sent in Bales to
London that is 44 miles distant, the whole town is employ'd
in spinning weaveing washing drying and dressing their
Bayes, in which they seeme very industrious; there I saw the
Card they use to comb and dress the Bayes, which they call
them testles [\teasels\] which are a kind of rush tops or
something like them which they put in frames or laths of
wood; the town looks like a thriveing place by the substantiall
houses, well pitched streetes which are broad enough
for two Coaches to go a breast, besides a pitch'd walke on
either side by the houses, secured by stumps of wood and is
<P 143>
convenient for 3 to walke together; their buildings are of
timber of loame and lathes and much tileing, the fashion of
the Country runs much in long roofes and great cantilivers
and peakes; out of these great streetes runs many little        #
streetes
but not very narrow, mostly old buildings except a few
houses builded by some Quakers that are brick and of the
London mode; the town did extend it self to the sea but now
its ruines sets it 3 mile off; the low grounds all about the
town are used for the whitening their Bayes for which this 
town is remarkable, and also for exceeding good oysters,
but its a dear place and to grattifye my curiosity to eate them
on the place I paid dear; its a town full of Dessenters 2
meeteings very full besides Anabaptists and Quakers, formerly
the famous Mr. Stockton was minister there till he dyed.
   From Colchester to Ipswitch is 18 mile and thence to
Dedom [\Dedham\] 9 miles, the way pretty good except 4 or
5 miles they call the Severalls, a sort of deep moore ground
and woody; at this place I passed over a wooden bridge
pretty large with timber railes of which make they build
their bridges in these parts; and now I go into Suffolk which
is not so rich land as that part of Essex I passed through
which was meadows and grounds with great burdens of
grass and corn.
   So I went to Ipswitch 9 mile more, this is a very clean town
and much bigger than Colchester is now, Ipswitch has 12
Churches, their streetes of a good size well pitch'd with small
stones, a good Market Cross railed in, I was there on Satturday
which is their market day and saw they sold their butter
by the pinte, 20 ounces for 6 pence, and often for 5d. or 4d.
they make it up in a mold just in the shape of a pinte pot and
so sell it; their Market Cross has good carving, the figure of
Justice carv'd and gilt, there is but 3 or 4 good houses in
the town, the rest is much like the Colchester buildings but
it seems more shatter'd and indeed the town looks a little
disregarded, and by enquiry found it to be thro' pride and
sloth, for tro' the sea would bear a ship of 300 tun up quite
<P 144>
to the key and the ships of the first rate can ride within two
mile of the town, yet they make no advantage thereof by any
sort of manufacture, which they might do as well as Colchester
and Norwitch, so that the shipps that brings their
coales goes light away; neither do they adress themselves to
victual or provide for shipps, they have a little dock where
formerly they built ships of 2 or 300 tun but now little or
nothing is minded save a little fishing for the supply of the
town.
   There is one pretty good house [\Christ Church Manor\] of
the Earle of Herriford [\Hereford\] that marry'd one of Mr.
Norborns Daughters that was killed by Sir Thomas Montgomery;
you enter thro' two Courts walled and divided by
a breast wall on which are iron spikes pallasadoes, the middle
is a broad gravell walke fenced in with stone balls on each
side, 3 or 4 steps up into the other Court, and so many steps
more thro' an arch into a third Court, this arch joyns a low
building which are the offices and leaded on the top and
rail'd round, and each end enters into chambers joyning to
the house that is built round this last Court, from whence
you enter the porch; the house is handsome all brick worke
and brick pillars, a good hall parlour and drawing roome
and large closet, 2 or 3 other roomes left answereing it and a
Billyard Roome above with as many roomes of State all
furnish'd with good old things; a pretty staircase but its all
little; there are 3 gardens on the one side with grass and
gravell walks all kept neate and good fruite; on the other
side is one large garden with a sum~er house in which stands
a large statue, black of a gigantick form and proportion, this
answeres the fine green house on the other side; this town
has many Dessenters in it.
   Thence I went to Woodbridge 7 mile, mostly lanes enclosed
countrys; this is a little Market town but has a great
meeting for the Dessenters; thence to Wickham 5 mile more
- but these are all very Long miles.
<P 145>
   Thence to Saxmunday [\Saxmundham\] 8 miles more, this
is a pretty bigg market town, the wayes are pretty deep,
mostly lanes very little commons; I pass'd by severall          #
Gentlemens
seates - one Mr. Dormers which stands in a fine parke
the entrance from the Road thro' rows of trees discovered
the front and building very finely to view, being built with
stone and brick and many sashes lookes like a new house,
with the open iron barr gates between pillars of stone the
breadth of the house; so to Bathfort [\Blyford\] 8 miles where
is the remaines of the walls of an Abby and there is still a
very fine Church, all carv'd in stone hollow work one tire
[\tier\] above another to the tower that ascends not very high
but finely carv'd also; hence I descended into lower grounds
banck'd on each side with a brick wall but low, and so a walk
on it for foote people and severall arches here and there to
draine off the water, so that those bancks are to secure the
Road from the marshy fenny water that oft a great extent on
both sides is subject to; thence I passed by some woods and
little villages of a few scattered houses, and generally the
people here are able to give so bad a direction that passengers
are at a loss what aime to take, they know scarce 3 mile from
their home, and meete them where you will, enquire how
farre to such a place, they mind not where they are then but
tell you so farre which is the distance from their own houses
to that place; I saw at a distance as I descended some of their
hills a large place that look'd nobly and stood very high like
a large town; they told me it was called either Stowle          #
[\Southwold\]
or Nole I cannot tell which.
   I rode in sight of St. Georges Channell in the way from
Colchester and Ipswitch and so to Norwich, sometymes it
was in view then lost againe; to Beckle [\Beccles\] is 8 mile
more which in all was 36 miles from Ipswitch - but exceeding
long miles - they do own they are 41 measured miles; this
is a little market town but its the third biggest town in the
County of Suffolke, Ipswitch, Berry [\Bury St. Edmunds\] and
this; here was a good big Meeting place at least 400 hearers
and they have a very good Minister one Mr. Killinghall, he
is but a young man but seemed very serious, I was there the
<P 146>
Lords day; Sir Robert Rich is a great supporter of them and
contributed to the building the Meeting place, which is very
neate, he has a good house [\Roos Hall\] at the end of the
town with fine gardens; there are no good buildings the
town being old timber and plaister-work except his and one
or two more, there is a pretty bigg Market Cross and a great
market kept, there is a handsome stone built Church
and a very good publick Minister whose name Armstrong 
he preaches very well; they say notwithstanding the
town is a sad Jacobitish town; this chooses no parliament
men.
   At the towns end one passes over the River Waveny
[\Waveney\] on a wooden bridg railed with timber and so you
enter into Norfolk, its a low flatt ground all here about so
that the least raines they are overflowed by the River and
lye under water, as they did when I was there, so that the
roade lay under water which is very unsafe for strangers to
pass, by reason of the holes and quick sands and loose
bottom; the ordinary people both in Suffolk and Norfolk
knitt much and spin, some with the rock and fusoe as the
French does, others at their wheeles out in the streete and
lanes as one passes; its from this town to Norwitch 12 miles
and its 10 to Yarmouth, where they built some small shipps
and is a harbour for them, and where they victual them,
also Harwitch about 12 or 14 miles also, but the miles are
here as long again as about London, and pretty deep way
especially after raines, these miles are much longer than most
miles in Yorkshire.
   Norwitch opens to view a mile distance by the help of a
hill whereon is a little village, as I observe most of the      #
great
towns and cittys have about them little villages as attendants
or appendix's to them which are a sort of subburbs, there
being stragling houses for the most part all the way between
that and the gates; you pass over a high bridge that leads on
<P 147>
over a high Causey of a pretty length which lookes somewhat
dangerous, being with fenced with trenches from its bancks
pretty deep thats on both sides to secure it from the water,
and these trenches runns in many places round the low
grounds to drain them, which are employ'd to whiten and
bleach their woollen stuff the manufacture of the place; this
long Causey brings you to the large stone bridge over the
river into which those trenches empty themselves.
   Then you proceed to the Citty which is walled round full
of towers, except on the river side which serves for the wall;
they seeme the best in repaire of any walled citty I know,
tho' in some places there are little breaches, but the carving
and battlements and towers looks well; I enter'd the West
gate, there are 12 gates in all and 36 Churches which is to
be seen in a clear day altogether, on the Castle walls I told
30 myself; there they are built all of flints well headed or    #
cut
which makes them look blackish and shineing; the streetes
are all well pitch'd with small stones and very clean and many
very broad streetes; that I entred in first was very broad for
2 Coaches or Carts to pass on either side and in the middle
was a great Well house with a wheele to wind up the water
for the good of the publick; a little farther is a large pond
walled up with brick a mans height with an entrance on one
end, a little farther was a building on which they were at
work design'd for a Water house to supply the town by
pipes into their houses with water, at a little distance was
another such a pond walled in, as I described before; these
things fill up the middle of this spacious streete which is for
use and also ornament, the spaces each side being so broad;
this brings you into a broad space called the Hay market
which is on a hill a very steep descent all well pitch'd as
before, this comes to another space for a market to sell hoggs
in and opens farther into divisions of buildings that begins
severall streetes that runs off good lengths and are of a
tollerable size; one runs along behind, which is all for
stalls for the Country butchers that bring their meate for
the supply of the town, which pay such a rent for them to the
town, on the other side are houses of the Town butchers the
<P 148>
Inhabitants, by it is a large market for fish which are all
at a little distance from the heart of the Citty so is not
annoy'd with them, there is a very large Market place and
Hall and Cross for fruite and little things every day, and also
a place under pillars for the Corn market.
   The building round here is esteemed the best and here is
the Town Hall but all their buildings are of an old form,
mostly in deep poynts and much tileing as has been observ'd
before, and their building timber and they playster on laths
which they strike out into squares like broad free stone on
the outside, which makes their fronts look pretty well, and
some they build high and contract the roofes resembling
the London houses, but none of brick except some few
beyond the river which are built of some of the rich factors
like the London buildings; there is in the middle of the town
the Duke of Norfolks house of brick and stone with severall
towers and turrets and balls that looks well, with large        #
gardens
but the inside is all demolish'd, only the walls stand
and a few roomes for offices, but nothing of state or           #
tollerable 
for use.
   On the Castle hill you see the whole Citty at once, being
built round it, its a vast place and takes up a large tract of
ground its 6 miles in compass; here is the County hall and
Goale where the asizes are held and the sessions; nothing of
the Castle remaines but a green space and under it is also a
large space for the beast market and 3 tymes in the year is
there very great faires kept, to which resort a vaste concourse
of people and wares a full trade; the whole Citty lookes like
what it is, a rich thriveing industrious place; Satturday is    #
their
great market day; they have beside the Town hall a hall         #
distinct 
which is the Sealeing hall where their stuffs are all
measured, and if they hold their breadth and lengths they
are sealed, but if they are deffective there is a fine layd on  #
the
owner and a private marke on the stuff which shews its
defficiency.
<P 149>
   Here was also the Mint which they coyn'd at, but since
the old money is all new coyn'd into mill'd money, that
ceases: here there is a fine large Cathedrall and very lofty    #
but
nothing remarkable of monuments or else; by it is 3 Hospitalls
for boys girls and old people who spinn yarne, as
does all the town besides for the Crapes Callimanco [\Calico\]
and Damaskes which is the whole business of the place;
indeed they are arrived to a great perfection in their worke so
fine and thinn and glossy their pieces are 27 yards in length
and their price is from 30 shillings to 3 pound as they are in
fineness; a man can weave 13 yards a day, I saw some weaveing;
they are all employ'd in spinning knitting weaveing
drying scouring fulling or bleaching their stuffs; their        #
hospitalls 
are well provided for there are 32 women in one as
many men in the other, there is also a good free schoole;
there is a great many Cerimonyes in the choice and swearing
their major [\mayor\] they elect him the first of May and then
prepare for his being sworne on Holly [\Holy\] Thursday;
they new washe and plaister their houses within and without
which they strike out in squares like free stone; all the       #
streete
in which this major elects house is very exact in beautifying
themselves and hanging up flaggs the coullours of their
Companyes and dress up pageants and there are playes and
all sorts of shows that day, in little what is done at the Lord
Major of London show; then they have a great feast with
fine flaggs and scenes hung out, musick and danceing; I was
in the hall they keep their feast in and saw some of their
preparations for that day being about a fortnight to it.
   The town is a mile and a halfe from the North to the South
gate, just by one of the Churches there is a wall made of
flints that are headed very finely and cut so exactly square
and even, to shutt in one to another, that the whole wall is
made without cement at all they say, but it appears to be very
little if any morter, it looks well very smooth shineing and
black; a great many Descenters are in this Citty; the
Gentlewoman that was my acquaintance there dyed 10
dayes before I came thither so I made no great stay there but
<P 150>
to see about the town; there are besides severall common
cunduits.
   Thence I went to Windham [\Wymondham\] a little market
town 5 miles, mostly on a Causey the country being low and
moorish and the road on the Causey was in many places full
of holes, tho' its secured by a barr at which passengers pay
a penny a horse in order to the mending the way, for all about
is not to be rode on unless its a very dry summer; thence we
went mostly through lanes where you meete the ordinary
people knitting 4 or 5 in company under the hedges; to
Attleborough 5 mile more which is such another little market
town, then over an open down like Salisbery Plaine 4 mile
more to a little village, still finding the country full of     #
spinners
and knitters; thence to Thetford 6 miles more, which
was formerly a large place but now much decay'd and the
ruines only shews its dimentions; there is a very high hill
quite round stands up on one side of it and can scarcely be
ascended so steepe; here I lay which is still in Norfolk.
   Next day I went to Euston Hall which was the Lord
Arlingtons and by his only daughters marriage with the
Duke of Grafton is his sons by her, its two mile from Thetford;
it stands in a large parke 6 miles about, the house is a
Roman H of brick, 4 towers with balls on them, the windows
are low and not sarshes else the roomes are of a good size
and height; a good staircase full of good pictures, a long
gallery hung with pictures at length - on the one side the
Royal family from K. Henry the 7th by the Scottish race his
eldest daughter down to the present King William and his
Queen Mary, the other side are forreign princes from the
Emperour of Moroccoe the Northern and Southern princes
and Emperour of Germany; there is a square in the middle
where stands a billiard table hung with outlandish pictures
of Heroes, there is Count Egminton Horn [\Counts Egmont
and Hoorn\] etc., at the end of the roome is the Duke and
Dutchess of Graftons pictures at length also; thence I enterd
into dineing and drawing roome and bed chambers of a
very good size and good fretwork on the cieling, in one of
the roomes was the Dutchess of Cleavelands picture in a
<P 151>
Sultaness dress - the Duke of Grafton being King Charles
the Seconds base son by her - there was also another picture
of the Royal family King Charles the Firsts 5 Children          #
altogether,
I have often seen 3 which was King Charles the
Second King James and the Princess of Orange, but here
was also the Lady Elizabeth and the Duke of Glocester a
little Infant on a pillow; in another place there is the Queen
Mothers picture and Lady Heneretta drawn large; there
is a fine hall and parlour below pav'd with free stone, there
are good gardens with fountaines and some stone statues,
a Cannall by the side, a large Court at the entrance with 3
iron barr gates which open to the front divided with stone
pillars and balls; the Court without is walled round and the
wall is carry'd a great length round the back yards, within
this is another Court with iron spike pallasadoes divided
every 2 or 3 yards by little stone pillars with balls; there    #
are
severall rows of trees runs of a great length thro' the parke   #
a 
visto to the front of the house, which lookes nobly tho' not
just of the new modell'd way of building; at the back gate I
crossed over the river Waveny which is the division of the
two County's and enter'd Suffolk, and pass'd over perfect
downs champion country just like Salisbery Plaine, and the
winds have a pretty power here and blows strongly in the
winter not well to be endured.
   So to St. Edmunds-bury [\Bury St. Edmunds\] 8 mile - but
as has been often observ'd before the miles are very long - I
pass'd by two or 3 little villages and about 2 mile off there   #
is
the town of St. Edmunds Bury which appeares standing on a
great hill; the towers and buildings look so compact and well
together with the trees and gardens thick about it the prospect
was wonderfully pleasant; a mile off by a little village I
descended a hill which made the prospect of the town still
in view and much to advantage; its but two parishes; the
Market Cross has a dyal and lanthorn on the top, and there
being another house pretty close to it high built with such a
tower and lanthorn also, with the two churches towers and
some other buildings pretty good made it appear nobly at a
<P 152>
distance; this high house is an apothecarys, at least 60
stepps up from the ground and gives a pleaseing prospect
of the whole town, that is compact severall streetes but no
good buildings; except this the rest are great old houses of
timber and mostly in the old forme of the country which are
long peaked roofes of tileing; this house is the new mode of
building, 4 roomes of a floore pretty sizeable and high, well
furnish'd, a drawing roome and chamber full of China and
a Damaske bed embroyder'd, 2 other roomes, Camlet and
Mohaire beds, a pretty deale of plaite in his wives chamber,
parlours below and a large shop; he is esteem'd a very rich
man; he shewed me a Curiosity of an Herball all written out
with every sort of tree and herb dryed and cut out and pasted
on the leaves - it was a Doctor of Physicks work that left
it him as Legacy at his death, it was a fine thing and would
have delighted me severall dayes but I was passant; there
was two streets were broad and very long out of which run
a cross 5 or 6 streetes more, which are as good as in most
country towns, they were well pitch'd with small stones; 
there are many Descenters in the town 4 Meeting places
with the Quakers and Anabaptists, there is only the ruines
of the Abby walls and the fine gate at the entrance that        #
remaines
stone well carv'd; it seemes to be a thriveing industrious 
town 4 gates in it.
   There are a great deale of Gentry which lives in town
tho' there are no good houses but what are old rambling
ones, there are in that they call the Green, a space by the
Churches [\St. Mary's and St. James'\] which are pretty near
together, they are pretty large but nothing curious in them,
stone buildings no monuments worth notice; they keep them
very clean and neate and have a moveable scaffold to clean
the roofe and windows and walls; its a very dear place so
much Company living in the town makes provision scarce
and dear, however its a good excuse to raise the reckoning
on strangers.
<P 153>
   Thence I went to Admiral Russells who is now Lord Orford,
a long 10 mile and loseing my way made it 12 mile,
its pretty good way; I passed by a village or two and in a
mile of Lord Orffords house [\Chippenham Park\] I enter
Cambridgeshire; it stands 3 mile from New Market you ride
in sight of New Market Heath where the races are, its good
road; here are severall good gardens well kept good gravell
and green walks with fine greens and flowers walled in and
all the outhouses very handsome; a coach yard and stables
in the middle of which is large gate into the ground and
built over with a high lanthorn where hangs the clock and
bell, this stands higher than the house like a tower, the house
being a flat roofe leaded and railed round full of chimneys,
but this tower I saw 10 mile off; all the out offices built     #
round
a court very handsome; the hall is very noble paved with
freestone a squaire of black marble at each corner of the
freestone; there are two fine white marble tables veined with
blew, its wanscoated with Wallnut tree the pannells and
rims round with Mulbery tree that is a lemon coullour and
the moldings beyond it round are of a sweete outlandish
wood not much differing from Cedar but of a finer graine,
the chaires are all the same; its hung with pictures att full
proportion of the Royal family; all in their coronation robes
from Charles the First to his Majesty with the Queen also,
and at the end is Prince George and Princess Ann, in their
robes of crimson velvet and Dukel coronet as Duke and
Dutchess of Cumberland; the whole house is finely furnish'd
with differing coulloured damask and velvets some figured
and others plaine, at least 6 or 7 in all richly made up after
a new mode; in the best drawing roome was a very rich
hanging gold and silver and a little scarlet, mostly tissue and
brocade of gold and silver and border of green damaske
round it; the window curtain the same green damaske and
doore curtaines; there was no looking-glass but on the
<P 154>
chimney-piece and just opposite in the place a looking glass
used to be was 4 pannells of glass in length and 3 in breadth
set together in the wanscoate; the same was in another drawing 
roome which was for my Lord; the dineing roome had
this looking glass on the two peers between the three windows
it was from the top to the bottom 2 pannells in breadth
and 7 in length, so it shews one from top to toe; the roomes
were all well wanscoated and hung and there was the finest
carv'd wood in fruitages herbages gemms beasts fowles, etc.,
very thinn and fine all in white wood without paint or varnish,
the severall sorts of things thus carv'd were exceeding
naturall all round; the chimney pieces and the sconces stand
on each side the chimneys and the the glasses in those chambers
where were loose looking-glasses, which were with fine
carv'd head and frames some of the naturall wood others
gilt, but they were the largest looking-glasses I ever saw;
there was a great flower pott gilt each side the chimney in
the dineing roome for to sett trees in; the great curiosity
of this wood carving about the doores chimneys and sconces
together with the great looking glass pannells is much talked
off and is the finest and most in quantety and numbers thats
to be seen any where; there is very fine China and silver       #
things
andirons and jarrs and perfume pots of silver; the common
roomes are all new convenient and neate with double doores
lined to prevent noises; the staircase is wanscoated, very
noble fine pictures, there is the battle at La Hogue a large    #
sea
piece with an inscription of the Admiralls valour when the
great ship the Gunn was burnt, mightily valued by the French
King. 



